Review: The Emo and the Jock by N Phillips

The Emo and the Jock

N. Phillips

Much like the mixing of two of your favorite foods that would never seemingly go well with each other until you give it a shot and suddenly discover that it the next best thing since sliced bread, there is something equally amazing about putting together two characters who couldn't be more opposite and finding them falling for each other. The story of the Emo and the Jock is just like that.

Meet the Emo: Evan Harris. He is a loner and the only emo in a small town school. He lives with his deadbeat father who uses him as a punching bag. He's artistic. He works at a music store. And he is failing Algebra.

Enter the Jock: Cole Morgan. He's the school's star football player. He is gay but has not come out except to his ex-boyfriend, Charlie. His family is rich, but his parents are too busy to spend much time with him. He excels at Algebra and just became Evan's personal tutor. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Cole has had a faraway crush on Evan for the past couple of years.

Rather quickly, Evan and Cole form a friendship: these two seemingly different boys realize they have more in common with each other than meets the eye. Evan takes well to the tutoring, but starts to wonder why, when he has always been seemingly straight, Cole causes him to have butterflies in his stomach. Evan begins to evaluate his romantic feelings for Cole, and before long, Evan is experiencing many firsts with Cole (hubba hubba!).

The development of both a friendship and a romantic relationship between Evan and Cole is very, very sweet. But while this takes place with the boys in high school, this is not a Young Adult book. Moments between these two fellows are very intense and quite hot! And there is something even sexier when at least one of the guys is experiencing everything for the first time.

Everything cannot be all rainbows for these guys, however - Cole's crazy ex-boyfriend, Charlie won't allow it. He is possessive, irrational, continues to swim in a famous Egyptian river, and is just plain psychotic. His actions are a bit ridiculous and just a *tad* over-the-top for a scorned ex-lover, but sadly there are some high-schoolers these days that do behave in such deranged ways. I do have to say, however, my inner bitch was happy and thankful for one thing that Charlie did. At least he did one good thing.

So, going back to that recipe analogy, if you are looking for a sweet story about young love that defies the rigid boundaries of defined character aspects, (much like taking the salty goodness of bacon and dipping it into the uber sweetness of chocolate), and you don't mind a bit of ridiculousness (because, really, who would have previously thought bacon and chocolate could work together?), The Emo and The Jock is just for you. Try it while eating chocolate covered bacon, and I guarantee you'll enjoy both.

*Review copy provided by the publisher.

 

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